Counseling Commons^™

Tell Me Yours, I’Ll Tell You Mine: Reciprocity And Self-Disclosure Among Extroverts And Introverts, Heba Muhsin, Marina Gergies, Veen Briefki, Kaniyah Newborn

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Existing research indicates that extraversion is positively correlated with high levels of self-disclosure (Tang et al., 2022; Loiacono et al., 2012), while research on extraversion in online contexts suggests that extraversion is negatively correlated with self-disclosure (D’Agata et al., 2021; Caci et al., 2019). However, introversion influences low levels of self-disclosure in offline friendships (Battle et al., 2024). Self-disclosure reciprocity refers to the process where a person shares personal information in response to another’s disclosure, matching both in depth and level of intimacy (Derlega et al., 1973). Research has yet to explore how initiation of self-disclosure influences reciprocity differently in …

Adult-Child Estrangement: Clinical Considerations For Deaf Clients, Emmett B. Kessler Ph.D.

JADARA

This paper provides an overview of specific considerations for counselors when working with DHH parents who have experienced adult-child estrangement. Estrangement is a process continuum brought about by schisms between adult-children and their parents/caregivers. Topics for consideration include early childhood attachment styles, issues surrounding emerging adulthood, psychological well-being, and resilience of DHH clients. Recommendations are offered to clinicians working with DHH clients. Specific individual, couples, and family counseling approaches are recommended as likely modalities to address the needs of clients embroiled in estrangement experiences.

Unlocking Adolescent Mental Health: Exploring Social Determinants And Depression With The Social Ecological Model, Lauren B. Robins, Danielle Rodgers, Yusuf Barburoglu, Jasmine Griffith, Cearra L. Arnold

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Employing the robust framework of the Social Ecological Model (SEM) and drawing insights from the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), this research sought to uncover the interplay between SDOH and mental health among adolescents. With a focus on depression, the study unraveled how various social determinants, both individually and collectively, shape the mental well-being of adolescents, leveraging the rich dataset provided by the National Survey of Children’s Health 2018. Utilizing advanced statistical techniques, the study revealed the predictive power of SDOH in understanding adolescent mental health. Results illuminate the significant influence of social determinants on depression, underscoring the imperative for …

Introduction To Trauma-Informed Counselor Education And Supervision (Tices) Framework, Isak Kim, Yoon Suh Moh, Charmayne R. Adams, Jaeyoung Kim

Office of Health Promotion Scholarship

Many counselors in training may be susceptible to traumatization and/or retraumatization during their training process due to the elevated prevalence of their past trauma experience and the nature of their professional work involving exposure to trauma narratives in coursework and during fieldwork. Recognizing the growing need for a trauma-informed approach in training future helping professionals, including counselors-in-training, we present an overview of a framework called the Trauma-Informed Counselor Education and Supervision (TI-CES). This framework draws on assumptions and principles from trauma-informed care (TIC). Also, we address the applications of four key assumptions (i.e., Realize, Recognize, Respond, and …

Is The Virtual Therapy Experience A Sufficient Means For Person-Centered Therapy? A Systematic Review, Aaron Feibush

Social Work Theses - Archive

Background: American psychologist Carl Rogers is considered the main originator of person-centered therapy (PCT), a psychotherapeutic approach which focuses on self-actualizing abilities of the client which emerge when engaged in an environment of three core conditions established by the therapist: unconditional positive regard, empathy and congruence. Over the last several decades there have been thousands of studies that demonstrate support for these three core conditions as necessary features of effective therapy. However, with the emergence of psychotherapy being conducted via telehealth in the last several years, in particular since the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, it remains unknown …

Outpatient Fall Prevention In Ambulatory Adults 65 Years Old And Over, Dorothy L. Osborne-White

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: In the United States (U.S.), falls are the leading cause of injury among adults 65 and over, resulting in 36 million falls yearly (Moreland et al., 2020). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2023), one in four older adults experiences a fall each year. Falls are the world's second most prominent cause of accidental deaths (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021). Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults (Moreland et al., 2020).

Methods: A quality improvement project that included a fall bundle was implemented in a primary clinic. A …

Exploring The Relationships And Differences Of Cultural Identity Salience, Life Satisfaction, And Cultural Demographics Among Emerging Adults, Matthew L. Nice

Adultspan Journal

Quantitative research methods were used to evaluate the salience of emerging adults’ (N = 444) cultural identities of race/ethnicity, gender, sexuality, spirituality, and socioeconomic status on perceived life satisfaction and cultural demographics using the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC; Ratts et al., 2016) as a guiding framework. Findings from a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated significant differences between specific cultural demographics and their cultural identity salience. Racial/ethnic and spiritual identify salience were found to be significantly related to emerging adults’ life satisfaction. A regression model considering race/ethnicity and spirituality identity saliences was significant when controlling for …

First Generation College Student Transitions: Informing Counseling Practices For Emerging Adults, Cassandra A. Storlie, Jessi Budyka, Anna A. Ellenson, Alexandra Malkani, Deanna Revels

Adultspan Journal

Using Schlossberg’s Transition Theory (STT), we used a directive content analysis to explore the high school to college career transitions of 24 emerging adults who were first generation college students (FGCS) with undeclared majors. 153 phrases aligned with STT highlighting unanticipated situations, psychological resources, and emerging adult development. Implications for professional counselors working with FGCS are provided.

The Unequal Distribution Of Social Risk For Black Men Across The Life-Span. A Novel Framework., Waleed Y. Sami

Adultspan Journal

This conceptual overview offers a comprehensive overview of systemic pathways that negatively impact the mental health of Black Men throughout their lives. Our argument highlights the importance for counselors and mental health professionals to utilize a thorough social risk assessment that considers these pathways in order to effectively address the mental health needs of Black Men while fostering positive working relationships. This overview strongly advocates for the use of context and structural determinants when evaluating mental health symptoms. Without an appropriate understanding of social risk and determinants, counselors may inadvertently perpetuate disparities by decontextualizing symptomology, and reproducing racist discourse.

Counseling Young Adults Regarding Spiritual Wellness: The Need And The Practice, Ellise Nolan, Fawn Gordon, Kailey Bradley

Adultspan Journal

The authors explore literature discussing an increasing level of anxiety and depression in young adults connected to struggles with meaning and purpose. The authors present the challenges of young adulthood as a developmental stage, highlighting the role that spiritual/religious exploration can occupy in counseling. Exploring the barriers counselors report to integrating spirituality into counseling, the authors propose counselors utilize the Ways Paradigm framework to support young adults with their spiritual wellness, giving examples of ways of understanding, ways of being and ways of intervening for working with clients with diverse religious/spiritual beliefs. The authors conclude with a case study and …

Mental Health Practitioners’ Trauma Knowledge And Self-Efficacy Post-Emdr Training, Christy R. Collins, Shelby L. Dean, Jose Carbajal

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

This research study examines mental health practitioners’ level of trauma knowledge and trauma treatment self-efficacy pre- and post-EMDR therapy training in Texas. The purpose is to determine if practitioners' self-perception of efficacy in treating trauma and trauma knowledge will improve after completing EMDR training. The practitioner sample (N = 113) is from an EMDR trainer who conducted six EMDR trainings in Texas. Descriptive, correlational, and paired t-test statistical procedures were implemented to analyze the data for the study. The results show that practitioners’ self-perception of competence and knowledge could be attributed to their years of clinical experience treating clients with …

Describing The Experiences Of Fulfillment And Stress In Coptic Orthodox Priests, Dr. Martha Salama

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

This qualitative study was conducted to understand how Coptic Orthodox priests describe their experiences of fulfillment and/or stress with their work. While many Christian leaders such as pastors, reverends, and clergy helping to serve their church members are represented in the literature, there is limited research on the roles and experiences of the Coptic Orthodox priesthood serving their communities. The Coptic church has been around for centuries, and the church has a history of religious persecution. The research question was “how do Coptic Orthodox priests describe their experiences of fulfillment and/or stress with their work?” The research methodology used in …

Understanding The Addiction Recovery Experience: The Use Of Experiential Learning In Undergraduate Human Services, Chaniece J. Winfield, Jason M. Sawyer

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Since 2020, the steady rise of overdose and substance use related deaths has created an ongoing need for a greater addiction workforce. Responding to this need, Human Service education programs are strongly encouraged to prepare competent professionals to work in recovery-oriented treatment settings. Research supports experiential learning to foster clinical competency, however its application toward SAMSHA transdisciplinary foundations in human service education is limited or unknown. The authors present an exploration of the use of experiential learning as a teaching tool to foster student competency toward the SAMSHA core transdisciplinary foundations of application to practice and professional readiness.

Exploring The Therapeutic Relationship In Mental Health Therapy With Queer And Disabled Adults, Rachel Womack

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Queerness and disability have been shown to be intimately connected, with members of the LGBTQIA+ community significantly more likely to identify as disabled compared to the general population. Though there are roughly 3-5 million queer and disabled individuals living in the United States, this remains a multiply marginalized and understudied population. Owing partially to stigma, minority stress, and discrimination, these individuals face an increased risk of a variety of mental health problems including depression, anxiety, self-harm, PTSD, and suicidality. Additionally, several barriers to mental health treatment exist, including inaccessible services, lack of provider knowledge, and outright discrimination from providers. Though …

"Why Does This Have To Be So Hard?": Perinatal Experiences From An Ecological Systems Approach, Caitlin Senk

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examines the lived experience of the perinatal population to understand how they can be supported from the lens of different ecological systems and what counselors can do to better serve people with uteruses during their perinatal experience. Furthermore, this study aims to utilize an inclusive framework for capturing the perinatal experience of people with uteruses and to explore barriers and facilitators to care through an ecological systems framework. Fifteen participants who have experienced infertility, conception, pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, stillbirth, and postpartum were recruited through various means throughout the United States. Thematic analysis was used, with semi-structured interviews and …

Measures To Assess The Competence Of Supervisors Of Provisionally Licensed Mental Health Counselors, Jennifer S. Kennett

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Supervision is a foundational component of education and training for new counselors. Ensuring provisionally licensed supervisees receive adequate supervision is vital, given the variation in training and experience requirements from state to state. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate three measures of supervisor competence and experience, the Supervision Experience and Supervisory Competence Assessment (version 2; SE-SC), the Generic Supervision Assessment Test (GSAT), and the Brief Supervisory Working Alliance Inventory (BSWAI) for use in the counseling profession within the United States. The instruments were evaluated for reliability and face validity using a sample of 104 provisionally licensed counselors …

Exploring Consciousness In Millennial African American Men: Using Video Ethnography To Convey Meaning Within The African American Male Experience, Mark L. Gumm

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this research dissertation was to investigate and explore consciousness in millennial African American men. This study defined consciousness in the form of self-concept or self-conceptualization, the image we have of ourselves (Carl, Rogers; Akbar, 1991). The research question under investigation is how do African American college men define identity, masculinity, and self-concept under the umbrella of consciousness? In addition the relation to environmental factors which include type of schooling, household dynamics, high-school mentorship, and college readiness. Investigative approaches also include asking questions regarding socio-economic status, academic achievement and success. Sub-questions included: “how do African American men explain …

Understanding The Experience Of Mothers In Higher Education During The Covid-19 Era, Shannan L. Engel

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This exploratory study aimed to understand the experience of mothers in higher education both during the COVID-19 pandemic and toward the end of restrictions. The population included academic mothers with children at home during the pandemic. Data was analyzed thematically by a team of researchers. The results generated six themes: (a) life changed suddenly, (b) remote work, school, and life, (c) unsupported, (d) sense of control, (e) support, and (f) positive aspects of COVID. These findings are important to the field of mental health counseling profession, supervision, and higher education because of the circumstances exemplified by the pandemic that highlight …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Addiction Counselors’ Experience Working With Individuals With Methamphetamine Use Disorder, Lyris C. Tudhope-Locklear

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative study explored the lived experience of addiction counselors in their work with clients who have a primary diagnosis of methamphetamine (MA) use disorder. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used as the methodology for this study. A total of seven participants were recruited and met inclusion criteria. Participants engaged in individual, semi-structured interviews. The primary themes that emerged included “Flexibility,” “Understanding,” “Self-Reflection,” “Demanding,” “Encountering Resistance,” “Hope,” “Developing an Individualized Understanding of MAUD,” and “Essentials of Treatment Success.” The findings of the study demonstrate the usefulness of qualitative inquiry to examine the lived experience of addiction counselors in their work with …

Ain’T I A Survivor Too: Contextualizing Black Women’S Experience Of Sexual Trauma And Healing, Danielle Alyssa Samuel

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The double bind of Black womanhood has been long documented in Black feminist literature. This dissertation seeks to greatly contextualize how Black women experience make sense of, and heal from, sexual trauma given the nature of gendered racism in the United States (U.S). Utilizing a convergent parallel design grounded in Black Feminist Theory and hermeneutic phenomenology, the lived experiences of 98 Black women from across the U.S. were investigated. Regression analyses revealed that the frequency of gendered racial microaggressions and the associated appraisal were not significant predictors of participants’ PTSD symptoms. Additionally, PTSD symptoms were inversely predictive of current perceptions …